The effects associated with foreign direct investments onto a host economy are perceived to be multi folded. FDI is perceived to enhance, not only, the accumulation of capital in a host country, but also to promote productivity, enable introduction of new processes and skills as well as enable access to new markets. However, empirical research upon if foreign direct investments affects economic growth is ambiguous. The purpose of this thesis is due to such to investigate whether the local financial market enable FDI to affect growth positively. Hence, the aim of this paper is to establish if the domestic financial sector is a vital precondition for foreign direct investment to have a positive significant effect on GDP per capita growth for developing countries. By the use of panel data regressions and three regression models, 26 countries were investigated between the years 1996 and 2015. The empirical results enabled the conclusion that local financial markets do in fact improve the effect associated with foreign direct investment for the 26 countries investigated between the years 1996 and 2015. Thus, local financial markets are a significant and crucial precondition for FDI to affect a host economy's growth positively. Due to such, developing countries should aim towards preserving as well as developing their financial markets.

nÃo hà / The study extends traditional approaches related to the determinants of labor income in Brazil to analyze them according to quantiles of income within occupational groups selected in 1995, 2002 and 2009. In all three periods, quantile regressions in equations mincerianas are estimated and the results compared with traditional OLS estimates. The estimates differ dramatically and it appears that: i) the return to education increases with the qualifications of office, ii) there is a growing relationship with the return to education and income level within each occupation, but in time gain a year of additional study has been decreasing and iii) although it is verified a reduction of inequality by race and gender in the labor market, there are signs of deterioration in these low-skilled occupations and pay. / O estudo amplia abordagens tradicionais relacionadas aos determinantes dos rendimentos do trabalho no Brasil ao analisÃ-los segundo quantis de renda dentro de grupos ocupacionais selecionados em 1995, 2002 e 2009. Nos trÃs perÃodos, regressÃes quantÃlicas em equaÃÃes mincerianas sÃo estimadas e os resultados confrontados com estimaÃÃes tradicionais por MQO. As estimativas diferem dramaticamente e permitem constatar que: i) o retorno à educaÃÃo cresce com a qualificaÃÃo do cargo, ii) existe uma relaÃÃo crescente do retorno à educaÃÃo com o nÃvel de renda dentro de cada ocupaÃÃo, mas temporalmente o ganho de um ano de estudo adicional vem diminuindo e iii) muito embora seja verificada uma reduÃÃo das desigualdades por sexo e raÃa no mercado de trabalho, existem indÃcios de agravamento destas em profissÃes de baixa qualificaÃÃo e remuneraÃÃo.

nÃo hà / A presente pesquisa busca analisar os impactos de variÃveis polÃticas e socioeconÃmicas sobre o sucesso eleitoral de um candidato ao legislativo, a partir de um estudo empÃrico com base na votaÃÃo das eleiÃÃes de 2010 para o cargo de Deputado Estadual no Estado do Cearà e segundo duas regiÃes: RegiÃo Metropolitana de Fortaleza e Interior do Estado. Para alcanÃar os objetivos propostos, sÃo utilizados modelos de regressÃes mÃltiplas estimados por MÃnimos Quadrados OrdinÃrios e RegressÃes QuantÃlicas, com vistas a possibilitar uma maior caracterizaÃÃo da distribuiÃÃo condicional das variÃveis analisadas. Na prÃtica, esta Ãltima tÃcnica permite investigar potenciais diferenÃas no impacto das variÃveis para elevados e baixos Ãndices de votaÃÃo. Dentre os resultados encontrados, se verifica a influÃncia positiva das variÃveis explicativas estatisticamente significantes inseridas nos modelos, em diferentes nÃveis de impacto de acordo com a regiÃo em anÃlise, em especial as variÃveis que tratam das despesas e receitas de campanha, da reeleiÃÃo de candidatos e das ligaÃÃes partidÃrias com o governo estadual e com as prefeituras municipais na Ãpoca da campanha, suscitando assim uma reflexÃo sobre a necessidade de realizaÃÃo de uma reforma polÃtica e eleitoral no paÃs visando proporcionar condiÃÃes mais igualitÃrias aos pleitos. / This research seeks to analyze the impacts of political and socioeconomic variables on the electoral success of a candidate to the legislature, from an empirical study based on the voting of the 2010 elections for the office of State Representative in the State of Cearà and in two regions: Fortaleza Metropolitan Region and Inner State. To achieve the proposed objectives, multiple regression models estimated by OLS and quantile regressions are used in order to enable greater characterization of the conditional distribution of the variables. In practice, this latter technique allows to investigate potential differences in the impact of the variables for high and low rates of voting. Among the findings, it appears the positive influence of statistically significant explanatory variables included in the models at different levels of impact according to the region in question, especially the variables dealing with expenses and campaign revenue, the re-election of candidates and of party connections with the state government and the municipal governments at the time of the campaign, inspiring a reflection on the need to carry out a political and electoral reform in the country aiming to provide more equal conditions for elections.

O presente trabalho descreve as assembléias de diatomáceas, presentes em um perfil sedimentar na Lagoa do Peixe, Litoral Médio do Rio Grande do Sul, com o objetivo de efetuar a reconstrução paleoambiental e identificar os períodos de maior influência marinha e hidrodinâmica, como conseqüências das variações do nível do mar ocorridas durante o Holoceno. O testemunho de sondagem T09 foi selecionado para estudo, devido à boa recuperação e à presença de um espesso pacote de lama próximo à base. Os resultados da análise de diatomáceas revelaram a presença de 114 táxons, constituintes das assembléias fósseis, dominadas pelo complexo de Paralia (Paralia fenestrata, P.sulcata e Paralia sp.), associados à táxons marinhos, entre eles: Auliscus caelatus e Triceratium favus; e os táxons marinhos salobros: Cyclotella striata, Dimeregramma marinum, D. minor var. minor e Psamococconeis disculoides, entre outros. Os resultados da distribuição, tafonomia e paleoecologia do complexo de Paralia e das assembléias presentes ao longo do perfil, forneceram maior detalhamento evolutivo do sistema lagunar associadas à ocorrência de três oscilações de alta freqüência do nível do mar na PCRS, interligadas à períodos de maior influência hidrodinâmica, comprovando que a morfologia lagunar sofreu intensas modificações ao longo do tempo. Entre as idades de 7420-7020 e 5370-5340 anos AP, ocorreram duas oscilações de alta freqüência, que atingiram o sistema lagunar, afetando diretamente as assembléias presentes. Entre as idades de 5370-5340- 2340-2060 anos AP, ocorreu uma terceira oscilação de alta freqüência, concordando com o máximo transgressivo registrado para a região sul do Brasil. A distinta composição observada entre as assembléias fósseis e atuais (preservadas em sedimentos superficiais) é um indicativo de que durante o Holoceno, a Lagoa do Peixe comportou-se como um sistema lagunar, apresentando características morfosedimentares, geomorfológicas, hidrodinâmicas e ecológicas, totalmente diferente das condições atuais, onde assume configurações de lagoa costeira semi-fechada, de ligação restrita com o oceano por meio de um canal de ligação. / This paper describes the diatom assemblages present in a sediment profile in the Lagoa do Peixe, Middle Littoral of Rio Grande do Sul, in order to make the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction and identify periods of increased marine influence and hydrodynamics, as a consequence of changes sea level occurred during the Holocene. The drill core T09 was selected for study due to good recovery and the presence of a thick pack of mud near the base. The results of diatom analysis revealed the presence of 114 taxa, constituents of fossil assemblages, dominated by complex Paralia (Paralia fenestrata, P.sulcata and Paralia sp.), associated with marine taxa: Auliscus caelatus and Triceratium favus, brackish and marine taxa: Cyclotella striata, Dimeregramma marinum, D. minor var.minor and Psamococconeis disculoides, among others. The results of the distribution, taphonomy and paleoecology of Paralia complex assemblages, present along the profile, provided a more detailed evolution of the lagoon system associated with the occurrence of three high-frequency oscillations in sea level in the PCRS, linked to periods of greater influence hydrodynamics, proving that the lagoon morphology underwent enormous changes over time. Between the ages of 7420- 7020 and 5370-5340 years BP, there were two high frequency oscillations, which reached the lagoon system, directly affecting the assemblages present. Between the ages of 5370-5340- 2340-2060 years BP, there was a third high frequency oscillation, in agreement with the transgressive maximum recorded for the southern region of Brazil. The difference in composition observed between the modern and fossil assemblages (preserved in surface sediments), is an indication that during the Holocene, the Lagoa do Peixe, behaved like a lagoon system, whose morphosedimentar, geomorphological, hydrodynamic and ecological characteristics were totally dissimilar from actual conditions representing semi-enclosed coastal lagoon which had restricted connection with the oceano through an inlet.

Submitted by Aline Amarante (1146629@mackenzie.br) on 2018-01-11T13:38:26Z No. of bitstreams: 2 DANIEL JOSÉ MACHADO.pdf: 9871325 bytes, checksum: 091c30080a6bcb9d1040d15d452cac6f (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Paola Damato (repositorio@mackenzie.br) on 2018-02-22T13:31:16Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 DANIEL JOSÉ MACHADO.pdf: 9871325 bytes, checksum: 091c30080a6bcb9d1040d15d452cac6f (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-22T13:31:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 DANIEL JOSÉ MACHADO.pdf: 9871325 bytes, checksum: 091c30080a6bcb9d1040d15d452cac6f (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-01 / Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie / Asset pricing remains a challenging issue in emerging economies, such as Brazil. The purpose of this research is to analyze the combination of regressors of the seminal models, starting from the Capital Assets Price Model (CAPM) of Sharpe (1964) and Lintner (1965), together with the 3-Factor (3F-FF) of Fama and French (1992), testing these and other regressors – macroeconomic, market, and industry factors – in the Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT) model of Ross (1972) using a Seemingly unrelated regressions (SUR) framework. The result – classified by the BIC information criterion – indicates that the excess market return factor – along with just one more factor – with the exchange variation in the first place and with the size factor in the second, present greater explanatory power of the monthly return, over a period of 21 years (1996-2016), of the 13 portfolios used to represent the Brazilian stock market, than the traditional CAPM that was in third place. The conclusion is that, for the Brazilian market, the CAPM is still more significant than the 3F-FF, and this is more significant that APT with four factors. / A precificação de ativos continua sendo um tema desafiador em economias emergentes, como a brasileira. O objetivo desta pesquisa é analisar a combinação de regressores dos modelos seminais, partindo do Capital Assets Price Model (CAPM) de Sharpe (1964) e Lintner (1965), em conjunto com os 3-Fatores (3F-FF) de Fama e French (1992), testando estes e outros regressores – fatores macroeconômicos, de mercado e da indústria – no modelo Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT) de Ross (1972), utilizando uma estrutura Seemingly unrelated regressions (SUR). O resultado – classificado pelo critério de informação BIC – aponta que o fator excesso de retorno do mercado – junto com apenas mais um fator – com a variação cambial em primeiro lugar e com o fator tamanho em segundo, apresentam maior poder explicativo do retorno mensal, durante um período de 21 anos (1996-2016), dos 13 portfolios utilizados para representar o mercado de ações brasileiro, do que o CAPM tradicional que ficou na terceira colocação. A conclusão é que, para o mercado brasileiro, o CAPM ainda é mais significativo que os 3F-FF, e este é mais significativo que o APT com quatro fatores macroeconômicos.

L’estimation du Nombre Minimum d’Individus (NMI) constitue une étape essentielle de l’étude des ensembles osseux, à la fois en contexte funéraire et médico-légal. En anthropologie funéraire, cette estimation va permettre d’affiner les profils paléodémographiques mais aussi de proposer de meilleures hypothèses quant à la gestion et l’utilisation de l’espace funéraire, tandis qu’en anthropologie médico-légale, elle revêt un intérêt majeur en vue de l’identification des victimes et des implications judiciaires qui en résultent.Les méthodes actuellement connues permettant d’estimer le NMI possèdent certaines limites dépendantes de la subjectivité des critères utilisés. Considérant ces limites, nous proposons une nouvelle méthode mise en place via une approche biométrique basée sur le principe de l’allométrie. A partir d’une sélection de 136 mesures ostéométriques, nous avons calculé les paramètres de 18360 équations de régressions linéaires permettant d’obtenir la prédiction d’une mesure biométrique à partir d’une autre ainsi que les bornes de l’intervalle de prédiction individuelle à 99% associé.Nous avons élaboré un outil informatique de tests itératifs permettant d’obtenir, à partir de l’exclusion très hautement probable d’appartenance des os à un même individu, une estimation du NMI.Les résultats du NMI par exclusions obtenus dans diverses applications montrent que ce NMI se révèle être particulièrement performant dans de nombreux cas.Au final, nous proposons une nouvelle méthode, objective et fiable, d’estimation du Nombre Minimum d’Individus - le NMI par exclusions - pouvant être utilisée aussi bien en contexte funéraire que dans un cadre médico-légal. / Estimation of the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) constitutes an essential stage of the study of commingled remains, both in physical and forensic anthropology. In physical anthropology, this estimation allow to improve paleodemographic profiles but also to propose better hypotheses as for the management and the use of the funeral space, whereas in forensic anthropology, it takes a major interest in identification procedures of victims and in the judicial involvement which result from it.Nowadays used methods estimating the MNI possess certain limits dependent on the subjectivity of the used criteria. Considering these limits, we propose a new method organized through a biometric approach based on the allometric principle. From a selection of 136 osteometric measures, we calculated the parameters of 18360 equations of linear regressions allowing us to obtain the prediction of a biometric measure from another one as well as the borders of the interval of individual prediction at 99 %.We elaborated a computer tool of iterative tests allowing to obtain, from the very highly likely exclusion from membership of bones in the same individual, an estimation of the MNI.The results of the MNI by exclusions obtained in different applications show that this NMI is particularly successful in numerous cases.In the final, we propose a new method, objective and reliable, of estimation of the Minimum Number of Individuals - the MNI by exclusions - useful as well in archaeological and forensic context.

Recent studies suggest a possible correlated evolution of wing morphology, wing beat frequency, muscle biochemistry and flight metabolic rate in bees. In order to investigate the degree to which natural selection can act on these traits, an estimation of heritability was required. Commercial and laboratory reared colonies from wild caught queens were used to estimate narrow-sense (h2) and broad-sense (H2) heritability of flight metabolic rate and its associated traits in the bumblebee Bombus impatiens. h2 estimates obtained from parent-offspring regressions were not statistically significant. H2 estimates were significant for morphological traits (body mass and wing morphology) as well as whole-animal traits (flight and resting metabolic rate, wing beat frequency) in both populations. We suggest that queens have a decrease in flight performance as a result of a trade-off between flight and fecundity, explaining the lack of significance in parent-offspring regressions.

Wage dispersion is one of the social and economic issues arousing public concern in Hong Kong. There are many studies exploring the possible causes and changes in wage dispersion. They often focus on the study of summary measures such as Gini and Theil indexes, or adopt OLS-based regression approach. In foreign studies on wage dispersion, Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, originated from Oaxaca (1974) and Blinder (1973), is a common method of decomposing changes or differences in mean wages between two groups into wage structure effect and composition effect, and then further decomposing the two effects into contributions of each control variable. Nevertheless, focusing on summary measures or decomposing mean wages can just give people an insight into the causes and changes in general wage dispersion but not the entire wage distribution. As pointed out by Chi, Li and Yu (2007), the estimation of the entire wage distribution and decomposition of the distributional changes in wage dispersion has been attracting the attention of labour economists. This thesis adopts a distributional approach proposed by Firpo, Fortin and Lemieux (2007) to study the changes in wage dispersion of Hong Kong since 1980s. The FFL approach comprises a two-stage procedure. Firstly, changes in dispersion are divided into wage structure effect and composition effect without directly estimating a wage-setting model. This is done by doing a proper reweighting to obtain counterfactual wage vectors. Kernel density estimation is used for visualizing the wage distribution in different years and the counterfactuals; secondly, novel recentered influence function (RIF) regressions across quantiles are performed to further decompose the two effects into contributions of each control variable. The findings are outlined as follows: first, there was an increase in wage dispersion over the whole wage distribution from 1980s but a decrease from 2001 to 2006; second, the composition effect dominates the wage structure effect over years; third, changes in the distribution of characteristics and the returns to these characteristics are highly responsive to each other, suggesting that our labour market is highly responsive to structural changes; fourth, The common wage-determining factors may not be able to explain the earnings-profile of low wage earners well. In brief, the development of the economy since 1980s increased the wage dispersion over years. Nevertheless, the economic downturn due to external shocks and internal unfavourable events and general skill-upgrading in labour-intensive industries decreased the wage dispersion since 2000s.

This thesis has investigated two-stage regularized logistic regressions applied on the credit scoring problem. Credit scoring refers to the practice of estimating the probability that a customer will default if given credit. The data was supplied by Klarna AB, and contains a larger number of observations than many other research papers on credit scoring. In this thesis, a two-stage regression refers to two staged regressions were the some kind of information from the first regression is used in the second regression to improve the overall performance. In the best performing models, the first stage was trained on alternative labels, payment status at earlier dates than the conventional. The predictions were then used as input to, or to segment, the second stage. This gave a gini increase of approximately 0.01. Using conventional scorecutoffs or distance to a decision boundary to segment the population did not improve performance. / Denna uppsats har undersökt tvåstegs regulariserade logistiska regressioner för att estimera credit score hos konsumenter. Credit score är ett mått på kreditvärdighet och mäter sannolikheten att en person inte betalar tillbaka sin kredit. Data kommer från Klarna AB och innehåller fler observationer än mycket annan forskning om kreditvärdighet. Med tvåstegsregressioner menas i denna uppsats en regressionsmodell bestående av två steg där information från det första steget används i det andra steget för att förbättra den totala prestandan. De bäst presterande modellerna använder i det första steget en alternativ förklaringsvariabel, betalningsstatus vid en tidigare tidpunkt än den konventionella, för att segmentera eller som variabel i det andra steget. Detta gav en giniökning på approximativt 0,01. Användandet av enklare segmenteringsmetoder så som score-gränser eller avstånd till en beslutsgräns visade sig inte förbättra prestandan.

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